


Day 2- Stupid in Love

by readytomcf_ckingdie, showstoppingnumbrr



Series: AU-AUGUST 2020 [2]
Category: The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals - Team StarKid
Genre: Au-August, College AU, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-02
Updated: 2020-08-02
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:47:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25673800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/readytomcf_ckingdie/pseuds/readytomcf_ckingdie, https://archiveofourown.org/users/showstoppingnumbrr/pseuds/showstoppingnumbrr
Summary: Paul is oblivious, Emma is stupid in love and Ted? He's just there
Relationships: Paul Matthews/Emma Perkins
Series: AU-AUGUST 2020 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1859950
Comments: 3
Kudos: 16





	Day 2- Stupid in Love

Paul was drumming his fingers on the table. All of his books and papers and pens were laid neat on the surface, as per usual. He barely was ever this nervous but this time, his biology tutor Emma Perkins was joining him for his study session.

She was a sophomore, which made him feel extra stupid for needing help. But she was his friend as he knew her late sister Jane during high school. 

Speaking of Emma, the hot mess came barreling through the door. He swore her shirt was on backwards and her hair was in a messy beehive on top of her head. 

She was still stunning though, Paul thought before shaking it off quickly.

Emma joined Paul at the table, strewing her supplies all over the table. 

“‘Sup nerd,” She said, smiling softly as a greeting. “Sorry for the mess, I’ve been busy with exams this semester,”

“No worries,” Paul said, his pale face now bright red. Again, what a hot mess. 

“Let’s get started-”

This was the part Paul despised. He absolutely adored the marine aspect of the class but this regular science stuff was not his speciality. The Professor, Henry Hidgens, made it fun but he barely understood it. That’s why Emma was here.

“Did you hear anything I just said?” Emma asked, deadpanning.

“I’m sorry, what’s going on with these boxes and stuff?” 

“They’re called punnett squares,”

“Punnett?”

Emma groaned, “If I have to explain this one more time I am leaving out that door and letting you fail,”

Paul just nodded and looked at her notes. Unlike her appearance and style, they were as neat as his own. Her handwriting though was slanted, messy on its own but the organization was pristine. 

“So you have brown hair, blue eyes meaning at least one of your parents must have had blue eyes or had the trait for it. Brown hair is a dominant trait so only one parent needed one gene for it for you not to get blonde or red hair,”

Paul nodded, trying to write down what Emma was explaining. She waited patiently for him to be done, smiling softly.

“Good job,” She praised before continuing her spiel on puny squares or whatever it was. 

After a half an hour, she yawned in the middle of her rant about 3x3 squares. “What time is it?” She asked.

Paul took out his phone, turning it on. “10:08 p.m.” He answered.

“Wow it’s late…” She said. “If the exam wasn’t in two days, I’d say we should head back to our dorms,”

“Well, you look tired anyway, and I kinda get this-”

“Alright, so if we had a kid, make our kid’s likelihood of getting green eyes like their mother,”

That made Paul blush. Not only couldn’t he do it, all he could now think of was if Emma Perkins and him got married and had kids… he always wanted to settle down one day with a partner and at least 2 kids.

“Paul? You on Earth buddy?” Emma asked, her hand waving in his face.

Paul jumped from his thoughts again. “I keep doing that,”

“Yeah you do,” Emma said. “Why don’t I walk you back home, maybe we could do some studying there in your space?”

Paul nodded and stood up, gathering his tools. Emma did the same before popping in an earbud, keeping an ear open to listen to Paul.

As they walked out of the library and down to Paul’s on campus dorm, Emma stretched her arms out, putting on a fake yawn, and wrapped her arms around Paul’s shoulders.

Paul flushed close to her. “You cold?”

“Yeah that’s it,” Emma said.

Paul being the dumbass he was, he didn’t question it. His friend was cold. So he unwrapped himself for a moment to give Emma his blazer. Emma herself began to get red, a color she didn’t usually wear unless fake flirting with her roommate, Charlotte.

Once they got to Paul’s door, they heard the faint melody of whatever song his dormie Ted was playing.

He unlocked the door, making Ted rush to stop dancing. Even though he minored in theater, he always seemed very embarrassed to be practicing outside of the designated building.

“What’s up-?” Ted asked once he got his cool facade on. “Brought a lady over, good job my man,” 

“We are just studying,” Paul said, shutting him down.

When Ted looked at her in question, she just shrugged and whispered ‘stupid boy’ while pointing at her stupid boy Paul. 

“Well make sure your ‘studying’ ain’t too loud,” 

“Hey Em, want a snack?” Paul said, changing the subject. Emma doubted he even knew what Ted was talking about. The junior was very innocent. 

“Popcorn would be nice, you got that?” Emma asked, taking in the kitchen. She’d never really been over besides when she came over with Ted. Ted and her were strictly friends, and besides she wasn’t into dudes with beards. 

“Two popcorns comin’ up!” Paul said, smiling wide. 

“Wait no I want onneeee,” Ted whined, sliding over to him.

The two roommates bickered before the microwave interrupted them. Emma smiled faintly at their antics before she was dragged into Paul’s room.

Paul made his bed comfortable for the both of them, letting Emma pick her stop first. She cozied up against the corner of the bed, munching on popcorn already. 

“So did you actually wanna study?” She asked, mouth half full with food.

“Well, what else did you wanna do?”

“We could watch a movie?” Emma suggested. 

“I can barely sit through a tv show, let alone a movie,” Paul said, already being distracted by a bird outside. “Oh it’s a robin-”

“Like the superhero?”

“I mean- kind of- did you ever read the comics, they are awesome-”

“I think Robin sucks,”

Paul dramatically gasped, hand to his chest. “How dare you!” He cried. 

“I thought I was the theater kid..” Emma mumbled under her breath.

“Oh that’s it,” Paul said before throwing a piece of popcorn at Emma. 

Emma shrieked with happiness before they devolved into a full out popcorn throwing war. 

With every piece thrown, a little giggle followed it. Prompting Ted to bang on the wall. 

“Keep the sex down!” 

Just that made Paul and Emma, the childish children they were, to laugh more. 

They did settle down eventually, Emma now camped in Paul’s lap. The room grew silent as Paul got more and more flustered.

“Feeling okay, beanstalk?” Emma asked softly.

Oh when she said that nickname it made his heart flutter. But she was his tutor, it was unprofessional!

So he coughed, looking away. “It’s late isn’t it?” 

Emma frowned from the change of subject but shrugged. “I guess but can’t I sleep here tonight? Char wouldn’t mind,”

Paul didn’t know what to do. The last girl he had over tried to get freaky with him while he was sleeping. 

“I- well- you could sleep here, I’ll sleep on the couch-”

“Are you that oblivious?” Emma said, cutting him off. “I want to spend time with you-”

Paul blushed more and shaked his head. “You don’t want to hang out with me,”

“Yes, yes I do- I’ve been trying to say it all night!” She said, exasperated. “I like you, Paul, and I wouldn’t be this blunt usually but you are so oblivious and I want to kiss you-”

That she did not mean to say. 

“Kiss? Like- lips?” Paul questioned, looking confused.

“Yes, I do- but if you are not ready,”

“Not lips,” He whispered. “Cheek- I can do that,”

Emma took that as a chance to lean forward, kissing his cheek. Her black lipstick soon appeared on it.

“You are pretty,” Paul said softly, melting in front of her.

“And you’re a soft, handsome man,” Emma complimented back. “We should sleep, however,”

“Am I being banished to the couch?” Paul joked, his filter gone.

“Not unless you want to,” Emma whispered.

Paul smiled before nodding. “Alright, wait here and I will grab you pajamas and such- I will not let you sleep in that jean skirt,” 

Emma smiled at him before he walked out of the room, popcorn bowls in hand.

“Woah-ho, Paul gettin’ some action,” Ted whistled. 

Paul flushed and wanted to wipe off the lipstick stain but he was oddly proud of it. 

“Oh shush,” He said, putting the bowls in the dishwasher.

Ted walked over, probably ready to pester him some more. 

“Darling, you a-comin’?” Emma called in a sing-song voice. 

Paul knew she was also just teasing him, but he loved it, he loved being wanted and being somebody's darling.

“Coming honey,” He choked out, doing his best to play along. He was not very convincing, he was too flustered to be.

“Damn do I gotta find another place to sleep tonight?” Ted whistled yet again.

“Yeah, get out,” Paul said, winking to further advance the game.

Paul skipped back to his room, feeling on top of the world. Emma seemed to notice this as well, smirking.

“Well, what got you so happy?”

Paul just pointed to his cheek.

“Hey, loverboy, you getting some action? Who’s the lucky gal?” Emma joked again.

Paul felt in love with this woman already, his heart swelling. He grabbed her hand, making both students turn red. 

“Oh, yes, she’s very pretty and very very smart,” He said, not bothering to keep his feelings inside. 

“Well, how would she react if she knew you were holdin’ my hand,”

“I think she’d be fine with it,”

Emma laughed softly. “She sounds like a lucky woman,”

“I am a lucky man to be with her,”

“With…? I didn’t know you were ‘with’ me,” Emma said, dropping the facade.

Paul now, a bit panicked, started trying to think of a good answer. All he could choke out was a few sputters before Emma laughed. 

“I would love to be with you, Paul,” She said.

He grinned, kissing Emma on the cheek. She returned the favor before hugging him, their hands still clasped.

That was pretty much how they stayed most of the night, except for the fact that they had let go of each other's hands to cuddle the other instead. It felt natural. 

Emma was surprised to wake up slightly more refreshed the next morning. She briefly wondered why she didn't have any nightmares before realising she had a very cute dude hugging her as if she were a stuffed animal.

Emma looked over the best she could at the clock. 9 am

“Shit..” She whispered to herself.

Her biology class with Hidgens started at 9:30.

She tried to unwrap herself from Paul, trying not to wake him up. 

He wasn’t a heavy sleeper however so he opened his eyes, grumbling something Em barely heard. 

“Oh- hey Paul- I’m sorry, I have to go,” Emma said, hurriedly taking off the pajama pants and putting on yesterday's clothes. 

“Oh wait, I can walk you,” He mumbled, flopping onto the carpet. “Let me just get my shoes on,”

“You barely look awake,” Emma said. “You stay in, I’ll be back with some lunch after class,”

“No see, I can walk you like a gentleman,” He said, putting his shoes on wrong.

Emma snorted and leaned down to help him. Paul just smiled sleepily, eyes closing. 

“Let’s go then, pretty boy,” Emma said. “Yip yip,”

She helped him up, taking him in a hug. “Do you want to just go in that?”

Paul shrugged. “I’m tired of tying ties,”

Emma laughed. Now that she thought of it, she had never seen Paul without one. 

They got themselves off of Paul’s floor, just in time for Ted to come out of his own room.

“Aye lovebirds,” He mumbled, equally as tired. The two roommates weren’t morning people, it seems.

“Oh shush up,” Emma said, knowing Paul would be too tired to think of any come back.

The two got ready quickly before walking out of the building. It was a pretty nice day, morning dew sticking to the grass. 

They strolled through the central campus, around the fountain.

“It’s gorgeous, right?” Emma asked softly, trying to make conversation with the sleepy man attached to her hip.

“You’re gorgeous,” He responded.

Emma laughed. “I was talking about the fountain,”

“Oh- right-” He said, a little embarrassed. If only he drank some coffee before they left.

Emma opened the door for him to the science building. People roamed the halls around them but to them, it felt like they were alone, hand in hand, hearts belonging to each other.

When they got to Hidgens' door, Emma took Paul aside so the Professor couldn’t spy on his kind of daughter.

“I’ll see you after class,” She said, smiling happier than she ever has before class.

Paul didn’t know what he was really doing until his lips were on Emma’s. The girl reacted positively after a few seconds of shock. 

Paul flushed after moving away. 

“I’ll- I’ll see you later,” Paul said happily.

“Wait-” Emma leaned forward to wipe the lipstick off his face. “There we go,”

The two smiled at each other before going their separate directions.


End file.
